Building Bridges
by Knight of Wattala
Summary: How do you bring back what has been lost? How do you fix what has been broken? On the eve of Tifa's birthday, Cloud is about to learn that if love is true it never dies... and all that needs to be done is to reach out.


_A/N: Hey guys! This is my second FFVII story (look up my profile for my first) and I have to say that it feels good to write about the FFVII characters. _

_Okay, first off, thanks for taking the time to read my story. Second, here are some details so that nobody will get confused. The story is slightly AU, in that Cloud is sixteen and is still in Nibelhiem, he has not left the town for Midgar just yet. Tifa, as you would have read in the summary, is fifteen going on sixteen. The story is written from Cloud's perspective in third person format, it will be divided between the events taking place and freestyle verses that explain Cloud's feelings, it may seem like poetry but it's not. With that said, enjoy! _

_Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters or mentioned locations, all property belongs to Square Enix. _

_

* * *

  
_

**_Building Bridges_**

* * *

_The days of our dawn was when I could smile _

_When it was just you, me and the stream by the mountain _

_When it was just you, me and nothing but the silent water to listen to our secrets _

_The days of the zenith sun was when the warmth of my smile faded away _

_And the mild breeze of a cold emotion began to take it's place. _

_The days of the zenith sun was when the strange masks came into being _

_Torturing, twisting and destroying our blue chrysanthemums _

_The days of the zenith sun was what brought out the dark moon _

_And cast a darkness so cold, so overwhelming_

_That I was stifled, frozen into what I am today. _

Cloud Strife ran a hand through his dishevelled blond spikes, as he made his way through the cobbled streets of Nieblhiem. The young man felt heavy, as if a large storm cloud had fallen on top of his head. Something was eating at Cloud Strife, he couldn't place his finger on it but he knew that something had happened to put him down. Tifa's sixteenth birthday was coming in a week. Just the mention of her name was able to send tremors of strong emotion through Cloud. The blond man looked up to see where he was going, the cobbled streets of the shopping complex was filled with people of varying ages, all of them talking, laughing and smiling at one another, as far as Cloud could see, there wasn't a single person who was alone or sulking like him.

The blonde man shook his head, trying to figure out the conflicting thoughts in his mind. Cloud's absent minded gazing nearly cost him, as with an unpleasant jolt, he saw two of Tifa's friends coming down the street. One girl had short red hair that contrasted with her blue eyes, Cloud had seen her at Tifa's house a few times and knew that her name was Sara, she was talking to another girl with long strawberry blond hair that brought out her sparkling emerald eyes. Cloud knew that these two girls were the ones who were closest to Tifa and the ones who held the most disdain for him. Not wanting to be noticed by them, Cloud looked around for a place to hide, he found an alleyway and ran in, seeking shelter in the fairly dark place. Cloud leaned against the wall, glad that for once in his life that he had a skinny body. Cloud listened intently for Tifa's friends, hoping that they would pass by quickly.

_I should go home after this _he thought to himself. _The last thing I need is to run into more of Tifa's friends. _

Unfortunately, for Cloud, the two girls choose to stop right next to the alley to continue their conversation.

"Tifa's birthday is coming up this week"

Cloud's heart lurched at the mention of Tifa's name.

"I know that" came the reply, Cloud recongized the tomboyish voice and noted that this was Sara speaking. "I was just thinking of what to get her"

"Just throw her a birthday party"

It was the blond who was speaking.

"Besides, it will be a great chance for her and Johnny to _finally _get together"

Cloud's heart jumped into his throat at those words, his mind screamed at him to run.

_Johnny? Him of all people?_

Cloud felt his chest constrict and he found it hard to breathe.

_Johnny the Jerk?_

Through the haze of emotions that thronged him, Cloud was able to make out Sara's voice.

"I still don't get why you think those two like each other. I mean... maybe Johnny, but Tifa hasn't said anything"

"She doesn't need to" said the blonde. "I can tell. Put it down to woman's intuition"

"Well, my intuition tells me that Johnny has just as good a chance as Cloud Strife"

Cloud's surprise at the mention of his name was cut out by a loud squeal.

"Don't say that. It's an insult to both Johnny and Tifa! I mean, do you honestly think that Tifa would stoop so low as to go out with that..."

It seemed as if she couldn't find the words to express her opinion of Cloud Strife

"That ruffian"

"Whatever" dismissed Sara. "Come, on let's go"

The two girls disappeared down the street but Cloud did not notice nor did he care. The young man cast his eyes around the gloomy alley.

_My life is like a dark alley _

_Dark, lonely and narrow, _

_But it does not leave me alone_

_It speaks to me, whispers words_

_That I do not want to hear, words _

_That can break me, words that can_

_crush me, words that can consume. _

_I am so close, so close to losing my self_

_to this abyss called loneliness. _

_Do you know? That I need light to fight the darkness. _

_Do you know? That there can be only one source of light, _

_One source of inspiration, _

_One source of strength, _

_One source of happiness _

_Do you know? How much I need you in my life? _

Cloud walked out of the alleyway, peered around cautiously before continuing down the street, the last thing he wanted was to run into Johnny and his friends. Just the thought of the tall, athletic man made him squeeze his fists in anger. Cloud longed to punch Johnny, to vent out nearly eight years of anger on him but he had promised his mother that he would not get into any fights and he intended to do just that, not because he wanted to avoid fighting, but because he wanted to keep the promises he made.

Cloud shook his head, his spikes falling loosely around his head, as his thoughts turned to Tifa's sixteenth birthday. There would be a huge birthday party, whether it was at Tifa's house or a friend's house or in the town hall, there would be a party that was usually filled with food, games and of course, cake. Cloud knew that with a seventeen-year-old Johnny around, the food would be replaced with alcohol and the games with disco style dancing. Flashes of Tifa in a dress, dancing intimately with Johnny in a dark room sent a wave of jealousy soaring through Cloud, like a powerful flame that was eating away at his body.

Cloud stopped in his tracks to regain his breathing.

The young man sighed, as he thought about Tifa and Johnny, everyone, including Tifa's own father expected them to become a couple. Johnny was tall with a muscular body, he was the type of guy all the girls loved and all the boys wanted to be like him, all boys except Cloud that is. Cloud turned to look at his reflection on the shopping window and sighed wistfully. Did he really have a chance with Tifa? Could he, a skinny scrawny boy with spiky, blond hair stand a chance of getting the girl of his dreams. Cloud stared at his reflection from the shop window and allowed his mind to get lost in his thoughts.

Cloud's thoughts were derailed by the notice on the window.

_Robert's Antique Shop. _

Cloud's pale blue eyes drifted down to the items that were on display and suddenly a brilliant idea came to his mind.

_Why don't I buy Tifa a gift?_

Cloud may not have spoken to Tifa, as frequently as he would have liked, but he knew that Tifa had no interest in big, expensive gifts. Cloud took a deep breath, he paused in hesitation. What would Tifa say? Would she accept the gift? Will she even like the gift? Then, another horrifying thought occurred to him, _He had no idea what Tifa would like. _

Cloud shook his head, there was no point in getting Tifa something if she wasn't going to like it. There would be other people who would do that for her, but he did not want to add his name to that list.

_Who said it had to be from him? _

Cloud smirked to himself and shook his head. He had seen it in a movie, where a man had sent the woman of his dreams an anonymous letter and a gift. The solution was so simple, so clear and so easy, Cloud could not understand how he could not have come up with such an idea before. Cloud couldn't help but grin at his brilliant ideas. It was a simple plan, Cloud would try his best to find something that Tifa would like and he would send it in anonymity, if Tifa did not like it, then she won't know it was from him. If she did like it... well... it was a chance he'll just have to take. Cloud had no idea what gave him the inspiration to do something so daring, especially where Tifa was involved but he relished the idea of doing something, instead of sulking in the corner of his bedroom like he usually did on Tifa's birthdays.

The young man strode into the shop and looked around. The small shop was cramped with rare items but nonetheless clean and organized. Compared to the din of the street, the shop was almost too quite. Cloud ignore the prickling feeling at the back of his neck and began looking around for items that could be of interest. He noticed a small gold statue of a stallion and immediately shook his head.

_Tifa won't like that _he thought to himself.

Cloud's fell on a large ornamental orb. The orb was black and red with what looked to be a Bahmut carved in the centre, spreading it's massive wings in flight. Cloud made his way towards the antique device, his interest piqued, he was certain that Tifa would like it.

"Do you like it, sir?"

Cloud turned around to see a tall, balding man peering at him with wide grey eyes.

"Umm... kind of" he said. "Though I would prefer if you could call me Cloud"

It felt strange to be addressed with such respect. The man nodded.

"As you wish, Cloud" he said. "Though I have to admit that not many people your age are interested in antiques"

"I'm... looking for a gift" said Cloud, feeling the need to talk to the first adult other than his mother who had shown him kindness.

The tall man raised a dark eyebrow.

"Might I assume that this is a _special someone_?" he said, putting particular emphasis on the last two words.

For a moment, Cloud was surprised, _How does he know about Tifa? _But then his senses came back to him and he immediately shook his head, there was no way anyone could know about his feelings for Tifa because he had not told anyone, not even his mother.

"You can say that" he said, his hand went to the back of his head, scratching the lock of gold hair. "Well, have you found anything interesting?"

"Yeah" said Cloud, feeling a little relieved. "I am interested in this orb"

"Oh, it really is a fine piece" said the man, from his tone. "A wonderful gift of Gothic style art, carved from the remnants of a large piece of materia, It is a display with a powerful message, anyone who is interested in mythology would like this"

Cloud thought about Tifa and nodded.

"How much is it?"

"Four thousand gil"

Cloud felt his heart jolt in surprise.

"What?" he gasped.

"It's four thousand gil" Repeated the man.

"I..."

Cloud did not have an ounce of money with him and there was no way he could earn the price within the week. The blonde shook his head, he would have to find something else, he sighed with frustration.

"Do you have anything that is below one thousand gil?"

The man, who was the owner of the shop, nodded.

"All the items are here" he said, gesturing to a shelf standing on the opposite wall.

Mumbling under his breath, Cloud made his way towards the shelf and peered at the items. Cloud saw several items that piqued his interest, there was a small badge with stones of a variety of colours attached to it, there was a china vase painted with different shades of blue and not to mention, a small wooden carving of a unicorn. Despite the many attractive items, Cloud did not find any of them appropriate, and was growing frustrated with each passing minute. Cloud wanted to buy something that had meaning to Tifa, something that would pique her interest. But so far his instincts told him that he had not found the item. After ten minutes of fruitless searching, Robert, the owner of the shop approached him.

"You still haven't found anything?" he inquired.

Cloud shook his head, feeling crestfallen.

_So much for my brilliant plan _he thought to himself.

"Why don't you come back tomorrow?" suggested Robert, in a friendly tone. "You might find something then"

Cloud nodded and turned towards the exit with the intention of leaving when something flashed at the corner of his eye. The young man whirled around and froze, staring at what had caught his attention. Sitting on top of the higher levels of the shelves, was a small gleaming box shaped device.

"Can I see that?" said Cloud, not taking his eyes off the device.

Robert reached over and took the box out of the shelf. It was gleaming white with a tinge of yellow, smooth, save for the ridges along the edge.

"What is it?" asked Cloud, quietly.

"It's a music box" said Robert. "All the way from Costa De Sol, the box itself is made out of seashells..."

Cloud was not listening, he didn't care where the music box was from, all that mattered was the fact that it was absolutely perfect. At least it looked perfect.

"How does it work?" said Cloud.

"There is a key, give me a minute"

Robert disappeared behind the counter before returning with a gold key, attached to a small chain. The manager inserted the key into a small keyhole at the centre of the box and turned it back five times. There was a small _click _before the music started to play. The most beautiful melody that Cloud had ever heard, floated though the air like the thick form of the waves riding the ocean. Cloud was not an expert in music but he knew a good tune when he heard it, and this was one was magical. Cloud had never heard anything like this in all his life, it seemed to have been composed by angels, it was the sort of tune which the stars of the night would dance to. Cloud didn't know what compelled him to choose this gift, but he just knew that Tifa was going to love this. The two men in the shop did not move nor did they speak while the music was playing. When the song finally ended, both men were temporarily silent, stunned speechless by the music they had just heard. Robert was the first to recover.

"So do you like it?"

Cloud nodded. "How much is it?"

"Five hundred gil"

Cloud nodded. That was a price he could afford,

_Such an awesome present and at such an affordable price. This is just too good to be true. _

"I don't have the money with me right now, but could you keep that aside for me and not sell it to anyone?"

Robert looked at Cloud with a calculating look.

"You should know by now, that I don't hide any of my merchandise from potential buyers"

Cloud opened his mouth to argue but stopped when he saw the owner smile.

"But I'll make an exception in your case young man. The music box will be waiting for you when you return with the money"

Cloud smiled and nodded.

"Thanks a lot" he said.

"Don't mention it"

Smiling, Cloud turned around and left the shop with a broad a smile on his face, he suddenly felt a million times lighter than when he had first entered the shop. For once, Cloud was not sulking about his feelings for Tifa but was actually doing something about it, even if it didn't work out in the end, even if Tifa ended up hating his gift, it felt good to be doing something to try and make her happy. Cloud looked up at the clear blue skies.

"I have to get a job"

It wasn't going to be easy, getting the required money in a week, he would have to work plenty of double shifts (maybe even triple shifts if there was such a thing) If he planned to buy and wrap the gift before Tifa's birthday. But Cloud did not see the hassle in doing that, he was more than happy to do anything for Tifa.

_Like a plant needs water to live_

_Like a cub needs it's mother to survive _

_Like a kaleidoscope needs light to sparkle _

_I need to see your smile to get by each day _

_That's why I've decided to do this, _

_This is why I've made this choice. _

_Because I will do anything to see you smile _

_I will cross mountains, swim across oceans _

_I will even defy god himself to see the light in your eyes. _

_Do you know? How important you are to me? _

_Do you know? How your feelings resonate my own? _

_Do you know? How important to me? _

_

* * *

  
_

It had been three days since Cloud had discovered the music box and he had since made it a frequent habit to go back to the shop and check if it was still there, despite the shop owner's assurances that the music box will not be sold or seen by anyone else. Cloud couldn't help the paranoia that would build up every time he thought about the music box and how badly he wanted to get it for Tifa. Everywhere he went, there were tell tale signs that the town was gearing up for Tifa's birthday celebration. Being the daughter of the mayor gave her celebrity status but what truly made Tifa popular was her looks and genuine personality and everyone (or at least every teenager) wanted to be apart of her birthday celebration. The surmounting excitement made Cloud a little anxious and he would try to avoid the main streets of the town, whenever he was on his way to work.

Cloud had managed to find a job at the local diner. The owner had been willing to take on the extra worker because he had known Cloud's mother as a hard working employee during the time she had been there. The job itself was not hard, all Cloud had to do was make sure that the tables and floor were _"sparkling like the mako in the mountain_"

Those were the exact words that the owner had used and it made Cloud nauseous, who would want to eat their food off of glowing tables?

The job was not by any means hard because Cloud was used to helping his mother with the housework but it take it's toll when you work double shifts for three days straight. Cloud rubbed a bleary eye, as he continued to mop the floor, not even acknowledging the tinkering of the bell, as the door opened and closed. The fluttering of cloth, as the waitress passed him told him that they had customers.

"What would you like today?"

Cloud had just placed the mop in the bucket when he heard Tifa's voice.

"I'd just like a coffee, thanks"

Cloud froze and he gripped the wooden handle of the mop as if it were a lifeline.

"Hey come on, Teef, treat's on me"

Jealousy wrapped it's fingers around Cloud like a vice.

"Johnny" he hissed under his breath. _He's calling her Teef? _

Were they on a date? Cloud shook his head not daring to believe the possibility. As if to answer his question, he heard another female voice speak.

"Honestly Johnny, we're not like you guys, stuffing yourselves at eight in the morning"

Cloud sighed in relief, if one of Tifa's friends was here then there was no way Tifa was on a date with Johnny. Cloud turned around cautiously, taking care to keep his body, still while his neck turned and peered at the direction he heard the voices. He could clearly see Tifa's angelic face, her hair tied back into a ponytail, sitting in the corner. To Cloud, she looked distinctly uncomfortable with Johnny sitting next to her.

Cloud smirked to himself before returning to his mopping, despite the joy of knowing that Tifa was uncomfortable around Johnny, Cloud did not want to draw any attention to himself, he didn't want anyone to know that he was working in a diner. If Johnny and his friends spotted him they would make a scene and probably spread rumours that Cloud and his mother were so poor, he had to stoop to mopping floors in a diner to make ends meet. Cloud was not intimidated by Johnny, even though he was a full foot taller than him and probably much heavier, but Cloud did not want the attention, for himself or his mother and he certainly did not want Tifa to know that he spent his free time mopping floors and cleaning toilets.

If he could just finish this bit and disappear into the kitchen....

"Hey, Strife, get over here, the toilet needs cleaning"

The atmosphere in the room instantly changed from relaxing to tense. Cloud stood still as if paralysed, cursing his boss with every swear word in his vocabulary.

"Strife?" It was Johnny and he was speaking with a hint of derision in his voice. "As in, Cloud Strife?"

"Yeah" came the gruff reply of his boss. "What about it?"

_When this is over I'm going to bury that old fart!_ thought Cloud.

The young man took a deep breath, mentally bracing himself for the berating that was coming, he couldn't afford to lose his job, not with a gift to buy. Surely enough, Johnny's gloating voice floated through the diner and towards his ears.

"Hey, Strife can't believe I missed your Chocobo head over there"

Sniggers told him that Johnny had some of his friends with him, Cloud thought as much, Johnny would never pick a fight with him without at least two or three of his friends to back him up.

_That coward thinks he can actually talk to Tifa! _He thought, angrily. _But then what makes you think you stand any chance, Strife?_

"Hey, Chocobo Head, turn around when I'm talking to you!"

Cloud did not turn around, he did not even move, instead, he just dipped the mop into the bucket and began mopping as if nothing was happening.

"Hey what's the matter, Chocobo? Can't understand English? I just figured you'd look like one, didn't think you were as dumb as one"

Cloud gripped the wooden handle of the bucket, not daring to turn around, he could feel his anger flaring like small fire that had been doused with gasoline.

_Don't move, Cloud _he told himself, _Don't move or you'll go berserk on the guy, then you'll lose your job and then you won't be able to buy Tifa's gift" _

Thoughts of the beautiful brunette sitting no more than a few paces from him were enough to quell the fire inside him. Meanwhile, Johnny was addressing his group of friends.

"Hey everyone, check out Strife, looks like he's gotten a head start on his career after he fails school"

"All right, young man, that's enough" came the stern voice of the boss, obviously offended at the idea that people will only work in his diner if they had failed school.

Cloud felt Johnny's eyes on his back, he returned to his mopping trying to put all of his focus into the activity.

"How does it feel, Strife? Fitting into the place where you're going to work for the next thirty years? Have you finally realized that the only thing you're good at is cleaning shit!"

"At least, I'm not _a_ piece of shit" he hissed, the words had escaped his mouth before he could stop it.

There was an awkward pause, as people contemplated the words that had just been said. Cloud closed his eyes and cursed himself, not because he had insulted Johnny or that he might get into a fight, but because he had insulted a customer and it may mean getting fired.

"What did you say?" hissed Johnny.

_Well _thought Cloud. _I'm already fired, might as well give him what he deserves. _

Cloud turned around and faced the man who was a full head taller than him.

"I said, _at least I'm not a piece of shit._ Got it?"

Cloud risked a glance at Tifa, who glanced back, her ruby red eyes were wide with fear.

"Why you!"

Before Cloud could even comprehend what was going on, pain exploded on the side of his jaw and he felt a strong force push him down. Cloud felt his lower back hit the floor and he resisted the urge to wince in pain. He scrambled back to his feet and was about to smack the smirk right off Johnny's face when he felt a strong hand on his chest. Cloud growled, thinking that it was one of Johnny's friends.

"Don't"

The voice stunned him into a standstill. The voice was sweet but firm in it's statement. Cloud glanced down at the hand that was on his chest, and was surprised to see that it was small and pale. Cloud gulped nervously, as he looked at the owner of the hand, Tifa was standing in between him and Johnny, using her hands to make sure that they did not go at each other.

"Tifa"

It was Johnny, there was a hint of surprise in his voice. Cloud stared at Tifa's side profile, his eyes scanned her perfectly shaped eyebrows, as if drawn by an artist, to those long eyelashes that framed her wine coloured eyes, to her perfectly refined cheekbone. Despite the pain in his jaw, he couldn't help but think that she was beautiful.

"Don't" she repeated. "He's not worth it"

It was as he had been hit in the face with a hammer, for a moment, Cloud forgot how to breathe. _He's not worth it. _The words echoed in his mind and suddenly his jaw was no longer throbbing in pain, it seemed trivial compared to the pain that had erupted in his heart. Cloud took a few paces back, unable to take his eyes off Tifa, the young woman didn't acknowledge his presence. Tifa turned around and looked up at Johnny.

"Let's go somewhere else"

Johnny nodded, smirking at Cloud over Tifa's head_, _the message was clear. _She's taking my side, not yours. _

Cloud didn't move as Tifa and Johnny made their way towards the small group that consisted of their friends, like obedient children they made their way towards the exit and filed out one by one. At the door, Johnny paused and glanced at Tifa, who was standing behind him.

"You know what? Let's never come here again" he said, in a loud, clear voice. "Especially now that I know about the sort of rats that infest this place"

Johnny glared at Cloud, who glared back at him. With those words, the tall man left, leaving only Tifa standing inside. Tifa placed a hand on the door but before she left, she turned around and looked directly at Cloud. The world seemed to have melted away as the two of them looked at each other for the first time in years, Cloud was torn between joy and contempt, joy because she was looking at him, contempt because he was hurt by her words.

"Cloud, I..."

Tifa trailed off as Cloud looked away.

_I don't want an apology _he thought to himself. _I don't want your pity. _

Cloud focused on a spot between two tiles, not looking away until he heard the door open and close. When he looked up, Tifa was gone and he was all alone.

_He's not worth it._

"How could she say that?"

"You, okay son"

Cloud looked up at the manager, who was standing next to him.

"Ignore that boy, he's just a spoilt brat"

Cloud didn't respond, instead, he untied the apron and tossed it onto a chair. Without saying a word to anyone, he made his way towards the exit.

"Hey! Where're you going?"

"I'm taking the day off" said Cloud, he didn't wait for a reply, as he disappeared through the exit.

* * *

_I can only look at you through a mirror _

_I see you as clear as the sunlight in my hair_

_I feel the hand that holds my heart with it's delicate fingers _

_But I cannot touch you, I cannot reach out to you as I long to do _

_I cannot close this insurmountable gap between you and me _

_For there are oceans I cannot swim across, mountains that I cannot climb _

_and plains that I cannot cross on my own. _

_For I am no god, sticks and stones may not break my bones, words may not hurt me_

_But a cold silence is all that is needed to seal my heart in ice. _

_Do you know? How much I long to build a bridge between you and me._

_Do you know? How I long to feel the touch of your hand in my own. _

_Do you know? That I want you to want me_

_Do you know? That I am only human. _

_

* * *

  
_

The past four day were spent between school and working at the diner. Cloud didn't know what had made him stand by his initial decision to buy Tifa a gift, especially after she had said those words in front of her friends that day.

Cloud leaned against the windowsill of his bedroom, staring at the other window no more than a few meters from his own. There was no light coming out from the window, which meant that Tifa was downstairs (he refused to entertain the possibility that she was out with friends) The windowsill of his room was where Cloud spent what little free time he had, thinking hard about the words she said and why she had said it. Contrary to popular opinion, Cloud was not stupid, he knew that Tifa was too good for him. Tifa was head and shoulders above the rest of the girls her age. Cloud was certain that he could not find another girl like her even if he had traversed the world, she was gorgeous, beautiful, kind, caring and compassionate. But Cloud knew, that Tifa was not just some angel for all the girls and boys to look up to. Cloud knew that there was much more to Tifa than just her angel complex, somewhere within her angelic personality was a fierce woman who would standby her beliefs and the people she loved no matter what else happened, a woman who would never be daunted by the insurmountable odds at her feet.

Cloud thought about Tifa's personality and wondered if she ever felt the pressure to live up to everyone's expectations and that was the reason why she was so distant with him.

_Tell me _

_What do you feel when you look up at the stars? _

_Do you see the vast expanse of the universe and feel small and insignificant? _

_Do you see nature at it's most beautiful and are at peace with the world? _

_Do you see monuments of a world so old, so different from our own that you are lost in a dimension of fantasy and reality? _

_Tell me _

_What do you feel when the wind whispers in your ear? _

_Do you hear words of wisdom and are at peace?_

_Do you hear wisps of human emotion and you are heady with the elixir of love? _

_Do you hear the gale of destruction and feel heavy under the burden of human emotion? _

_Tell me_

_What do you see when you look into my eyes? _

_Do you see a person, broken and unworthy of your attention_

_Do you see the past that we shared? The joy and the sorrow of being with each other? _

_Do you see a ravine that cannot be crossed, a crevice in the mountain that no amount of will can _

_overcome?_

_Or do you see nothing? _

_Nothing but the mist that is blown with the wind _

_Nothing but the ashes of a dead fire? _

_Nothing but the worn out pages of a discarded book? _

_Tell me _

_What do you feel when I look into your eyes? _

_Do you miss the days when you were you and I was me_

_When both of us climbed the ivy to new heights of closeness. _

_Do you miss the days when we were young and carefree? _

_The days when we believed in the jade plant and it's power to conquer the world?_

_Or do you feel nothing_

_Nothing but a cold darkness that clams the warm light. _

_Nothing but a maze of the heart _

_Nothing but the walls constructed for the sole purpose of hiding a dark secret. _

_Tell me, because I deserve to know. _

_

* * *

  
_

The day had finally arrived, Cloud woke up bright and early to warm, pleasant May weather. His double shifts at the diner had enabled him to earn enough money to buy the music box at the antique shop along with some wrapping paper. Cloud had not seen Tifa the entire day but knew that she would be at the Nibelhiem Town Centre because the party that had been arranged for her had been the talk of the town. Cloud had avoided people who talked about the party because it hurt to know that he would not be invited, Cloud would never admit it to himself and if someone were to ask him, he would deny it completely but every year, Cloud would always feel alone and hurt whenever there was a party, not because he wanted to be noticed by others but because he knew that it was Tifa's way of telling him that she no longer wanted him to be apart of her life.

The thought made Cloud question his actions once again. Was it really worth it? Was it really worth the hard work only to be shunned away like this? The young man ran his hand over his blonde spikes.

"Too late now" he said, looking up at the house. "Everything has been done"

The hour was late and the street was dark except for the street lamps, the house was dark, as the occupants were out.

In addition to wrapping the present in whiter paper, he had left a small card with the words _For Tifa, Happy Birthday _written in black ink. Cloud had made the decision a week ago not to let Tifa know that it was he that was the sender of the music box. Something within the pit of his stomach told him that it was better this way, if nothing less, the odds of Mr. Lockhart throwing it out were marginally smaller. Cloud walked up the curb towards the large house and placed the gift on the doorstep, next to the mat. Cloud then turned around and quickly hurried away before anyone saw him.

_Here I am waiting on the side of the road_

_Waiting for the day when you would drive by and see me _

_The way I see you _

_Here I am watching your window _

_With the hope that you would lift the barrier between us _

_Here I am watching you from afar _

_Wanting to feel the beat of your heart, the touch of your hand and the heat of your love. _

_Here I am looking up to the stars _

_Hoping for an answer,_

_Hoping that my sorrow will end,_

_Wishing that you would come to me _

It was close to midnight when Cloud heard a car pull up to the house next to him, any drowsiness vanished instantly, as he realized that Tifa had returned. Cloud crept towards the window that granted his room it's only source of light from the street lamps. Cloud watched apprehensively as he saw Tifa and the taller form of her father make their way up the curb. In the light of the street lamp, Cloud saw Mr. Lockhart carrying large boxes, as he walked up the curb. Cloud instinctively knew that there were more presents in the back of the car and his heart sunk. There was no way Tifa would be remotely interested in his small gift, not with the large ones she had.

"You have a lot of good friends, Tifa"

Mr. Lockhart's voice drifted through the window and into Cloud's ears.

"Yeah, I'm really lucky to have them" came Tifa's soft but husky voice.

"I'm just glad that you've grown up and decided to start hanging out with decent people like Johnny, Strife had trouble written all over him"

Tifa didn't say anything.

Cloud felt his heart sting in anger, he took a deep breath to keep calm.

_Ignore him _he thought. _He's just a crazy old man, just ignore him. _

"Tifa, what's that on the doorstep?"

The words made Cloud open his eyes and he stared out of the window, eager to see Tifa's reaction. The street lamp cast a murky glow upon the door of the Lockhart household. Cloud was able to make out Tifa's short, slim form bending over and picking up the box. Cloud held his breath as he felt rather than saw Tifa open the container and take out the music box. For a moment, Tifa stared at the small, white gift, Cloud longed to read the expression on her face, she did not say anything, she did not move, she just stood there.

"What is it?" said Mr. Lockhart, breaking the silence. C

loud paused with baited breath, eager to hear Tifa's response.

"It's... nothing"

For the second time that week, Cloud felt like he was hit by a large hammer, he backed away from the window and collapsed onto his bed. Cloud's chest felt heavy, as if somebody had placed a piece of thick metal on it and he rubbed it an attempt to ease the burden. It was as if Tifa had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart. Cloud had worked night and day, moping floors and cleaning toilets so that he could afford the music box and her only response was that... it was nothing... as if it didn't matter to her. Cloud immersed himself in his thoughts, failing to realize that outside, Tifa had opened the box and was now listening to the music.

_I should have just gotten her something big and expensive, just like her friends would have done _he thought. _Or better yet I shouldn't have gotten anything for her. She was never going to appreciate what I'd do for her. _

A small voice at the back of his mind told him that Tifa had no idea who gave her the gift but he dismissed it. Cloud got up from his bed and began to pace around, bitterness began to spread through him like poison.

_Why the hell did you do this, Strife? You should have known that she was just going to ignore it. She never has and she never will.... _

"Cloud!"

The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Grumbling incomprehensibly to himself, Cloud flung his door open before walking over to the banister and gazed down at the woman from whom he had inherited his blond hair and blue eyes.

"What?"

"There's someone hear to see you"

Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"If it's Mister Bunchen from the diner" he called back. "Tell him-"

"It's _not _Mr. Bunchen" interrupted his mother.

Cloud felt a stab of confusion.

"Then who'd want to see me right now?"

"If you want to know then you'd better come down and find out for yourself"

Cloud ran a hand through his blonde spikes and stomped his way downstairs, whoever was waiting for him caught him at a bad time and he had every intention of telling them off.

_Honestly, who comes to see people this late at night? _

As he approached the landing, he felt the cool breeze from outside bellowing around his shin and ankles. Cloud barged down the staircase.

"Hey, listen who-"

He suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, as his pale blue eyes met a pair of ruby red ones.

"Cloud?"

Cloud was stupefied and his mouth dropped open.

"Ti-tifa" he stuttered. "I-"

_What are you doing here?_ "It's nice to see you"

Cloud's eyes scanned the young woman and noted that she was wearing a dark coat over a blue dress, a small part of Cloud was disappointed that he couldn't see more but he quickly shoved that part of him aside. Tifa smiled, nodding in agreement.

"I can't stay long"

_"_Oh.."_ Big surprise_

"I..." Tifa took a deep breath. "I just wanted to thank you for the music box"

A heavy silence descended upon them, Cloud's eyes went wide as the words sunk through.

_She's... she thanking me? _

"Cloud?"

Cloud did not respond, his mind had gone numb.

_How did Tifa know about the music box? _he thought to himself. _I didn't leave my name on it. _

"Cloud?" Tifa's voice was laced with uncertainty. "You... did give me the music box, right?"

"I..."

"Of course he did!"

Both of them jumped and turned around. Cloud's mother was standing at the entrance of the living room, with a small smile on her face.

"And he worked so hard at the diner so that he could afford the money to pay for it"

"Mum!" growled Cloud, whirling around at her, partly to make a point without having to say anything and partly because he couldn't bear to look at Tifa's face.

Cloud's mother, however, choose to ignore her son.

"It's awfully cold outside, Tifa" she said. "Why don't you come in? I'll serve you some coffee"

"No thank you, Mrs. Strife" said Tifa, in a cheerful voice. "I can't stay for long"

"All right, I'll leave you two alone"

Cloud watched her leave before turning around and staring at a point above Tifa's head, determined not to look at her. The tension in the air was so thick, one could taste it. Cloud could feel his heart drumming in his chest, as if he had just run a mile, the very last thing he wanted Tifa to know was that he had been a second rate cleaner at some diner, not when Johnny's parents were one of the richest in town.

"Cloud?"

It was not the entreating tone in her voice but rather, the hand that she gently placed on his arm that made him look into her eyes.

"Cloud, did you really-"

Cloud turned away again.

"Yeah" he murmured, in a quiet tone. "I worked a double shift for the past week, so that I could make enough money for today"

_Yeah, that's right, I worked in the very place where you said I wasn't worth it, so that I could pay for your gift._

The two of them stood facing each other, unable to find the words to express their strong feelings. Cloud stood where he was, looking at his feet and trying his best not to take one step closer to the girl standing before him. Suddenly, he felt a pair of slim arms wrap around his waist, he looked up and he was suddenly filled with the scent of jasmine, strands of soft hair tickled his face and he felt a warm presence press up against him. It took a moment for Cloud to realize that Tifa had pulled him into a tight hug.

"Tifa-"

Cloud struggled to keep his senses from being overwhelmed by Tifa's feel, scent and warmth something that was quite challenging.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, in a voice so soft that it could have been lost in the breeze. "_I'm so sorry"_

Cloud shook his hands, careful to keep his arms to his sides.

"There's nothing to be sorry about"

"Yes, there is" said Tifa, in a voice that was much more firm. "I..."

_You what? _Thought Cloud. _Forgot about me? Treated me like I didn't matter? _

"I haven't been the friend you deserve" she said.

Cloud could feel something warm and wet permeating through his shirt, it took him a moment to realize that Tifa was crying. The sudden realization that Tifa was crying on his shoulder broke down the wall that kept his feelings at bay. Cloud could feel a warm sensation rise up in his chest and spread all the way to the tips of his toes, before he could comprehend what was happening to him, Cloud could feel tears on the brink of his eyes.  
All hesitancy and rational thought flew out of Cloud's mind, as he wrapped his arms around Tifa's slim form, tightening the hug and enhancing the intimacy between them. The two of them just stood there, not saying anything but communicating the depth of their feelings. Cloud did not open his mouth, he just stood there, taking in the feel, scent and warmth of Tifa, drowning in the haze of emotions that were coursing through him. For a moment, the world melted away, time stopped as the two of them stood there in one another's arms, finding the shelter, warmth and comfort that they knew they couldn't find from anyone else.

After what felt like hours, the two of them broke apart. Cloud took a step back and a deep breathe, it was as if the air between them changed and Cloud instantly knew that they had entered a new phase in their relationship.

"Do you... wanttocomeinside?"

Tifa cocked her head aside with a hesitant smile.

"Pardon?"

"I mean... you don't have to... I mean... I know it's late"

_Cloud, you idiot, stop stuttering and be a man. _

"I'd love to come inside" said Tifa, with a small laugh. "But, I have to get home soon"

Neither of them wanted to say it but they both knew that if Mr. Lockhart found out that Tifa was here, Cloud be in serious trouble.

"I just wanted to thank you for this" said Tifa, she pulled out a small box from her coat and lifted the lid, inside was the music box that Cloud had worked so hard to buy.

Tifa gently pried the music box out of it's container, looking at it with a fond look on her face.

"It looks like it's made out of sea shells" she commented, as if the music box was a cute baby chocobo.

Cloud smiled but did not say anything. Tifa opened the box and placed the gold key inside the hole and turned it five times. The beautiful music that Cloud had heard in the shop played once again. Cloud and Tifa stood still, facing each other as they listened to the music.  
As the soft music played, Cloud looked up and found himself looking into Tifa's eyes. The two of them stared at each other, unable to look away. When the music stopped, a silence filled the air, it was not awkward like it had been a few minutes ago but peaceful. After a few minutes, Tifa spoke.

"It's the best gift anyone has ever given me, Cloud, thank you _so much_"

Cloud smiled. "Don't let your father hear that"

Tifa laughed and Cloud felt his heart jump into his throat.

"I have to go" said Tifa, there was a sense of finality in her tone. "Good night, Cloud"

"Good night, Tifa"

With those pleasantries exchanged, Tifa made her way towards her house, Cloud watched her go unable to close the door just yet. Tifa had nearly reached her door when she turned around again.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Cloud nodded and smiled, he did not move from his position until Tifa had reached her home, she had almost disappered behind the door when Cloud remembered something.

"Tifa!"

Tifa turned around to face him.

"How did you know it was me? The one who gave you the music box?"

Tifa smiled at him. "There's only one person in this world who knew about my interest in music, give me something so rare and personal and not say who it is"

With those cryptic words, Tifa disappered behind the door and closed it with a soft _click_.

_Tell me _

_What do you see when you look at the music box? _

_Do you see the cold nights ending and the return of our dawn? _

_Do you see past the stigma on my forehead and see my true colours _

_Tell me _

_What do you feel when you hear the melody of the music box _

_Do you feel like dancing atop Mt. Nibel and leaving everything behind? _

_Do you feel like you're soaring through the clouds, as the heart takes flight? _

_Do you feel the ravine between us being bridged by a melody of an ethereal world? _

_Tell me, Tifa, will the sunset on our cold nights and lonely winters ?  
_

Cloud smiled to himself, for the first time in what felt like years, he felt light-hearted and happy. The blonde man closed the door and made his way upstairs, where his mother was waiting for him, with a smile on her face.

"Mom!" growled Cloud, though there was no real venom in his voice. "Don't tell me you were watching that?"

Cloud's mother did not say anything, instead, she walked up to her only son and kissed him on the cheek.

"Looks like you've grown up, Cloud" she said softly, before turning around and entering her own room.

The look on her face was testament to the fact that she had been watching him and Tifa, but at the moment, Cloud didn't care about that. For the first time in years, Cloud felt free and liberated, he now knew what it felt like to walk amongst the clouds. Cloud taught about what it felt like to hold Tifa in his arms and to breathe her soft jasmine scent.

"It was worth it" he murmured to himself. "Everything, all the pain, all the humiliation, was worth it for just that one moment"

With a smirk on his face, he entered his room, ignoring the darkness, he crossed over to the window and stared at the other house that was so close. Cloud could barely make out the blurry form of Tifa walking around in her room, he smiled to himself.

"I'll definitely see you tomorrow, Tifa"

_The End _

_

* * *

_

_A/N: Since this is a oneshot story I won't be leaving any author's notes. If you want to express your views and opnions, be it postive or negative, just leave a review and I will reply with a PM. _

_With that said, hope you enjoyed my oneshot! _


End file.
